Can you believe Nicole Kidman is going to be 47 this year? And that her very first movie was all the way back in 1983? She is like Hollywood royalty at this pointand Botox or no Botox, I think she looks REALLY good.
Speaking of the Botox, though, I want to slightly re-focus things here. Some of usincluding melove to speculate about what procedures a celeb may or may not have had. (It makes me feel like I actually look okay au naturel, compared to all the work celebs get done, and the perfection they try to sell us. Plus, I see talking about it as lighthearted fun.) BUT, I know some of you continue to feel uncomfortable with that, and the last thing I want to do is ignite any beauty insecurities.
So, Im gonna open up these Before & After discussions to ALL aspects of how a stars look has evolved over the yearsnot just the surgical changes. Those of us who still want to discuss them, canbut there should still be something for everyone if you look at these as all-around beauty retrospectives, kay?
Now lets move on to Ms. Kidman. I should mention I got a bit weirded out in doing this photo research. People have been telling me Nicole is my celebrity double for, no lie, more than 10 years now, so its a little freaky to see how youre probably going to age! Or I should say, age with the help of a needle .
Lets start off with the earliest photo I could find, circa 1983:
Obviously this was before de-frizzing products were invented. (Or at least before Nicole knew about them.) She was just 16 here!
By the time of this photo shoot in 1992 (age 25), she looked all grown up:
I feel like that was a characteristic of the 90s thoughpeople styled themselves to look WAY older than they actually were. Can you imagine seeing a 25-year-old star nowadays running around in a business suit like this? Not going to happen. I have to say, Nicole has some outstanding curls. Also a bit of natural Ombré with the darker root area, right?
Within the next few years, her career started to explode. This shot is fromBatman Forever in 1995:
Whoa! Serious hottie. Were so used to seeing a more mature Nicole these days, I didnt realize just how beautiful she was in her 20s. Those red lips, the retro waveswhy hasnt she been recreating this on a red carpet?
The following year, 1996, saw the return of the waves and a more reddish hue:
Im going to talk about her smile for a moment. Nicole gets the most hate out of any celeb for her enhancements, with her upper lip specifically being criticized a lot. Looking at this picture, it seems to have always been that shapeand she always had a gummy smile. I do think she later used filler in her upper lip, but as youll see a few pics down, maybe it wasnt as dramatic a transformation as people think.
This next pic is from my all-time favourite movie for hair, Practical Magic(1998).
Look at her hair. Über-long, red and with bangsits my fantasy hair. (And Id copy it in an instant if my bangs would only behave and, well, if I didnt look better in this colour.) I also love black cats, so theres that working for her, too.
This next photo, from The Others premiere in 2001, is so, so pretty:
She was 34 here, and truly at her prime. She had the most beautiful skin and I love the flushed cheeks, the Black Honey-esque lipstick and the reddish hair in a high ponytail. Really, super-gorgeous.
I also love this one from the 2003 Academy Awards:
It totally reminds me of the spring 2010 Missoni look, which I loved then and still love now. Its really all about the curls pushed off her forehead, and then the very, very soft makeup. (She has that kind of face that just cant handle a lot I SO identify.) I still think this was pre-injections era, but I wouldnt put it past her to have had a nose job at some point. Cmon they all do. I would guess it happened some time in the 90s. If you compare this photo to the 1992 one, her nose now looks a touch more chiseled and narrow.
In 2004 (age 37), she went for a flapper look at the Golden Globes:
Okay, what? I have no idea what was going on in 2004, but this was for sure an ill-advised styling decision. And Im not even showing you the dress. It was all so costumeyalthough Im sure it was nice, for once, not to be straightening those curls into submission. This may have been the debut of the Botox and the upper-lip filler.
Nicole got back on track for the 2006 premiere of Fur:
This is also fantasy hair: big, soft curls, fluffy bangs and a half-up do that gives her a sexy, retro look. (Well, can we really put the word sexy with Nicole Kidman? My bad.) I can definitely see a fuller upper lip here, but I dont get why people were going nuts over the work she had done. At least not yet.
I also love this hairstyle from an Omega event in 2006:
How pretty is the side ponytail tied with a black ribbon, and softly parted bangs? Love the colour as well. I think her eyebrows might be overly arched, though. The industry term is Spocking and thats when the Botox injector overdoes the lifting above the brows and you end up like Dr. Mr. Spock. Thankfully, her lips look pretty normal.
In 2007, Nicole went for sleek, straight hair over one shoulder at the Academy Awards:
Love it. Love the hair, love the colour red on her, love how her blue eyes are popping like mad. What I dont love is her mouthit throws off everything. She needs to leave the needle alone and just rock the thin upper lip. Tons of people have one and theres no shame in that! Shes also got the telltale Botox bunny lines at the sides of her nose. Thats because Botox can create new wrinkles you didnt even have before, from your face trying to move. Bit scary!
At the CMT Awards in 2008, Nicole wore her hair down in long, centre-parted waves.
Gotta say, I dont love it. I find this hairstyle a bit aging for her, and wish shed bring the bangs back. Her lips look good here (lovely lipstick colour as well) and I like the blush. I might not darken the brows so much the contrast is a bit harsh.
Im also not a fan of her look at the Australia premiere in Madrid in 2009.
I really want to brush out those curls. With the solid blonde hair colour, theyre making her hair look almost wig-like. No complaints with the makeup at all. Notice the bunny lines are still in effect.
I think this pic, from a press conference in 2010, is Nicoles prettiest in recent years:
Right? Like, OMG. She looks easily 10 years younger than the previous photo. I think the key was darkening her hair to a natural-looking reddish colour. And honestly, she looks the best with very minimal styling. Simple, straight hair and barely any makeup at all work wonders on the woman. I think this is a great lessonless is most definitely more as you age.
I quite liked this ponytail and bangs combo from the 2011 CMT Music Awards:
Now, Nicole was 44 here, just to remind you. I think the bangs are very youthful-looking, although I wish they were a little longer, skimming the bottom of the eyebrows. And perhaps the pieces on either side of her face could be tidied up a tad. But overall, I like this effort a lot, save for the return of the lips.
The following year, 2012, Nicole was a beauty superstar in Cannes:
Shes kept the reddish tones in her hair, just lightened it up a bitand the contrast with her porcelain skin is super-beautiful. Again, minimal makeup except for a pinky stained lip (which was also a fun move, to contrast with the red dress). Notice how there is not a flaw on her skinyou cant create skin like this with foundation. At age 45, Nicole looks fantastic.
Now were at the very last photo, from the 2013 CMT Music Awards:
Nicole has chopped her hair to the popular lob (long bob) length, just below her collarbones, and I think its a nice, fresh change for her. I do wish shed really committed and went for bangs as well. Maybe this year! Alas, I think we have a bit too much cheek-filler in this pic, but that aside, I dont think she looks bad at all at soon-to-be 47do you?
Speaking of the Botox, though, I want to slightly re-focus things here. Some of usincluding melove to speculate about what procedures a celeb may or may not have had. (It makes me feel like I actually look okay au naturel, compared to all the work celebs get done, and the perfection they try to sell us. Plus, I see talking about it as lighthearted fun.) BUT, I know some of you continue to feel uncomfortable with that, and the last thing I want to do is ignite any beauty insecurities.
So, Im gonna open up these Before & After discussions to ALL aspects of how a stars look has evolved over the yearsnot just the surgical changes. Those of us who still want to discuss them, canbut there should still be something for everyone if you look at these as all-around beauty retrospectives, kay?
Now lets move on to Ms. Kidman. I should mention I got a bit weirded out in doing this photo research. People have been telling me Nicole is my celebrity double for, no lie, more than 10 years now, so its a little freaky to see how youre probably going to age! Or I should say, age with the help of a needle .
Lets start off with the earliest photo I could find, circa 1983:
Obviously this was before de-frizzing products were invented. (Or at least before Nicole knew about them.) She was just 16 here!
By the time of this photo shoot in 1992 (age 25), she looked all grown up:
I feel like that was a characteristic of the 90s thoughpeople styled themselves to look WAY older than they actually were. Can you imagine seeing a 25-year-old star nowadays running around in a business suit like this? Not going to happen. I have to say, Nicole has some outstanding curls. Also a bit of natural Ombré with the darker root area, right?
Within the next few years, her career started to explode. This shot is fromBatman Forever in 1995:
Whoa! Serious hottie. Were so used to seeing a more mature Nicole these days, I didnt realize just how beautiful she was in her 20s. Those red lips, the retro waveswhy hasnt she been recreating this on a red carpet?
The following year, 1996, saw the return of the waves and a more reddish hue:
Im going to talk about her smile for a moment. Nicole gets the most hate out of any celeb for her enhancements, with her upper lip specifically being criticized a lot. Looking at this picture, it seems to have always been that shapeand she always had a gummy smile. I do think she later used filler in her upper lip, but as youll see a few pics down, maybe it wasnt as dramatic a transformation as people think.
This next pic is from my all-time favourite movie for hair, Practical Magic(1998).
Look at her hair. Über-long, red and with bangsits my fantasy hair. (And Id copy it in an instant if my bangs would only behave and, well, if I didnt look better in this colour.) I also love black cats, so theres that working for her, too.
This next photo, from The Others premiere in 2001, is so, so pretty:
She was 34 here, and truly at her prime. She had the most beautiful skin and I love the flushed cheeks, the Black Honey-esque lipstick and the reddish hair in a high ponytail. Really, super-gorgeous.
I also love this one from the 2003 Academy Awards:
It totally reminds me of the spring 2010 Missoni look, which I loved then and still love now. Its really all about the curls pushed off her forehead, and then the very, very soft makeup. (She has that kind of face that just cant handle a lot I SO identify.) I still think this was pre-injections era, but I wouldnt put it past her to have had a nose job at some point. Cmon they all do. I would guess it happened some time in the 90s. If you compare this photo to the 1992 one, her nose now looks a touch more chiseled and narrow.
In 2004 (age 37), she went for a flapper look at the Golden Globes:
Okay, what? I have no idea what was going on in 2004, but this was for sure an ill-advised styling decision. And Im not even showing you the dress. It was all so costumeyalthough Im sure it was nice, for once, not to be straightening those curls into submission. This may have been the debut of the Botox and the upper-lip filler.
Nicole got back on track for the 2006 premiere of Fur:
This is also fantasy hair: big, soft curls, fluffy bangs and a half-up do that gives her a sexy, retro look. (Well, can we really put the word sexy with Nicole Kidman? My bad.) I can definitely see a fuller upper lip here, but I dont get why people were going nuts over the work she had done. At least not yet.
I also love this hairstyle from an Omega event in 2006:
How pretty is the side ponytail tied with a black ribbon, and softly parted bangs? Love the colour as well. I think her eyebrows might be overly arched, though. The industry term is Spocking and thats when the Botox injector overdoes the lifting above the brows and you end up like Dr. Mr. Spock. Thankfully, her lips look pretty normal.
In 2007, Nicole went for sleek, straight hair over one shoulder at the Academy Awards:
Love it. Love the hair, love the colour red on her, love how her blue eyes are popping like mad. What I dont love is her mouthit throws off everything. She needs to leave the needle alone and just rock the thin upper lip. Tons of people have one and theres no shame in that! Shes also got the telltale Botox bunny lines at the sides of her nose. Thats because Botox can create new wrinkles you didnt even have before, from your face trying to move. Bit scary!
At the CMT Awards in 2008, Nicole wore her hair down in long, centre-parted waves.
Gotta say, I dont love it. I find this hairstyle a bit aging for her, and wish shed bring the bangs back. Her lips look good here (lovely lipstick colour as well) and I like the blush. I might not darken the brows so much the contrast is a bit harsh.
Im also not a fan of her look at the Australia premiere in Madrid in 2009.
I really want to brush out those curls. With the solid blonde hair colour, theyre making her hair look almost wig-like. No complaints with the makeup at all. Notice the bunny lines are still in effect.
I think this pic, from a press conference in 2010, is Nicoles prettiest in recent years:
Right? Like, OMG. She looks easily 10 years younger than the previous photo. I think the key was darkening her hair to a natural-looking reddish colour. And honestly, she looks the best with very minimal styling. Simple, straight hair and barely any makeup at all work wonders on the woman. I think this is a great lessonless is most definitely more as you age.
I quite liked this ponytail and bangs combo from the 2011 CMT Music Awards:
Now, Nicole was 44 here, just to remind you. I think the bangs are very youthful-looking, although I wish they were a little longer, skimming the bottom of the eyebrows. And perhaps the pieces on either side of her face could be tidied up a tad. But overall, I like this effort a lot, save for the return of the lips.
The following year, 2012, Nicole was a beauty superstar in Cannes:
Shes kept the reddish tones in her hair, just lightened it up a bitand the contrast with her porcelain skin is super-beautiful. Again, minimal makeup except for a pinky stained lip (which was also a fun move, to contrast with the red dress). Notice how there is not a flaw on her skinyou cant create skin like this with foundation. At age 45, Nicole looks fantastic.
Now were at the very last photo, from the 2013 CMT Music Awards:
Nicole has chopped her hair to the popular lob (long bob) length, just below her collarbones, and I think its a nice, fresh change for her. I do wish shed really committed and went for bangs as well. Maybe this year! Alas, I think we have a bit too much cheek-filler in this pic, but that aside, I dont think she looks bad at all at soon-to-be 47do you?